Steam-trap



.2 Sheets-Sheet i,

(NO Model.)

B- W. HILL. STEAM TRAP.

Patented Nov., 30, l y

(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets$het 2..v B. W. HILL.

ST-BAM TRAP.

No. 594,795. Patented NOV. 30,1897.

FE "7 L WITNEEEEE: E INVEN'TD R: @4r/W MW /z my improved valve and vent.

Ntra *raras arnNr Fries.

STEAM-TRAP.

SBECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,795, dated November30, 1897. Application filed February l, 1897. Serial No. 621,393. (Nomodel.)

vT0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, BURTON WV. HILL, of Somerville, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Steam- Traps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to steam-traps of the class known asgravity-traps, which have a movable chamber or receiver for the water ofcondensation, the chamber receiving water when in a raised position andreceiving steam to expel the water when in a depressedpost tion.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatic vent for traps ofthis description which shall be automatically opened to release the airand steam entrapped in the chamber when the latter is in position toreceive water and automatically closed when the chamber is in positionto receive steam for the purpose of discharging the water.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed tovdescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a side view of one form'of steam-trap embodying my invention, inwhich one side of the receiving-chamber is shown partially broken away.Fig. 2 is a partial side view of the same in a different position. Fig.3 is a side view of Fig, 4 is a section on line 4t 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a sectionl on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 ofFig. l. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views showing a modified form of myinvention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

.The drawings show a type of steam-traps similar to that illustratedinmy Patent No. 550,886, datedDecember 3, 1895, the said trap beingadapted to receive the water of condensation from a steam-heating systemandto return said water to the boiler or source of steam-supply; but mypresent invention, as hereinafter disclosed, is not restricted in itsapplication to this particular form of steamtrap.

In the drawings, a represents a chamber of suitable form adapted toreceive the wat er of condensation through a fixed hollow shaft s, onwhich said chamber is adaptedto oscillate. A counterbalancing-weight bis connected with the chamber and a rolling weight c c0- operates withthe chamber and with the weight b, as described in the above-mentionedpatent. The chamber is elevated, as shown in Fig. l, when receivingwater of condensation, and remains elevateduntil suflicient water hasaccumulated in it to overbalance the weight h. The chamber then swingsdownwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, its downward movement beinglimited by a stop ai'. This action opens avalve, as described in saidpatent, and allows live steamfrom the boiler to pass through pipes CZand e into the chamber a. The steam forces the water from said chamberthrough the hollow shaft and through suitable pipes back to the boileror to a receiving vessel. The apparatus then assumes its former positionand the water of condensation from the system again accumulates in .thechamber a.. y

The rolling weight c is movable on a track c, which moves with thechamber, the object of saidweight being to hold the chamber in either ofits extremes of position, the weight c holding the chamber in theposition shown in Fig. 1 until it has been filled, when it is caused bythe tipping of the chamber to the position shown in' Fig. 2 to hold thechamber in the last-mentioned position until it is emptied, the chamberbeing then returned to the position shown in Fig. l by lthe Weight h.lVhen the chamber a begins to fill again with water,l it is desirable tohave a vent for the air or steam which may be entrapped in the chamberand hinder the ingress of the water. It is the object of my presentinvention to provide an automaticlvent for this purpose which shall beopen when the chamber is in its raised position and the water. isentering and closed when the chamber is depressed and steam is admittedto expel the water.

My improvement is embodied in the construction next described.

f represents a vvalve casing which is attached to the upper portion ofthe chamber a and communicates with the interior thereof. In the casingf is a valve-seat f', from which extends a vent-passage f3.

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f2 is a valve formed to close on the seat vf and having a stem f7, whichis movable in the vent-passagefs. A portion of the valve-stem, as hereillustrated, is of triangular cross-section, which allows the air orsteam from the chamber a to pass upwardly through the ventpassage f3when the valve is open. A head f'l is secured by a screw f6 to the upperend of the valve-stem, said head being pivoted at f8 to an elongatedguide g, which supports a rolling weight g. rlhe said guide is pivotedat g5 to a standard or lug f5, affixed to the casing f, and constitutesa lever which is tilted on its pivot or fulcrum g54 by the weight g. Thesaid vfeight has a peripheral groove g'to receive the inner edges of thetwo bars of the guide, as shown in Fig. 6. IVhen the chamber a isdepressed, as shown in Fig. 2, the guide g is so inclined as to causethe weight g' to roll to the left-hand end of the guide, as viewed insaid ligure, the weight depressing that arm of the guide and raising theother arm, which is connected with the valve-stem. The valve f2 is thusraised and closed against its seat, preventing the escape from thechamber of any of the steam which is now being introduced to expel theWater. NVhcn the water has been expelled and the chamber returns to theposition shown in Fig. l, the guide g is inclined in the oppositedirection and the weight g rolls to the right-hand end of the guide,depressing the arm which is connected with the valve and separating thevalve from its seat, as shown in Fig. 4, thus opening the vent-passagef3 and permitting the entrapped air or steam to escape before the waterwhich is new entering the chamber.

The operation is thus continued, the ventpassage being closed when thechamber assumes its steam-receiving position and opened when the chamberassumes its water-receiving position.

The guide g is preferably fulcrumed so that its arms diifer in length,the arm to which the valve is connected being longer than the other.This arrangement gives the weight suiiicient force to open the valveagainst the pressure in the chamber a.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is a modified form ofmy invention in which a muiiier t is applied to the vent-opening f3 todeaden the sound of escaping steam and air and also to prevent the samefrom issuing directly into the atmosphere. YIn this modifiedconstruction it is desirable to place the automa-tic vent in a positionnearer the axis of rotation of the trap than that which it occupies inFigs. l and 2. Figs. 7and S show, respectively, side and end elevationsof the trap with the automatic vent and the muffler attachment. 7irepresents the casing of the valve controlling the entrance of livesteam to the chamber a. The automatic vent is preferably mounted on thiscasing, but may be situated at any convenient point between 'the saidvalve and the upper termination of the steam-pipe e. t' represents aconductingpipe leading from the exhaust-opening or vent-passage f3,Figs. 3 and 4, to the muffler t, the purpose of this pipe being toconduct the imprisoned steam and air which passes from the chamber a.and through the pipe e and the automatic vent to the said muiiler t.

The muiiler t is mounted on a suitable fixed support in line with thetraps axis of rotation and is provided internally with a diaphragm orseries of diaphra gms t2, having perforations or ports so arranged thatthe steam or air which enters the muiiler through the pipe z5' iscompelled to pursue a devious path in traversing the diaphragms. Anynoise or hissing is thereby prevented and the steam, air, or water isallowed to escape from the muilier through a pipe t3 to the sewer or toa receptacle or merely to the outside air. The conducting-pipe t' entersthe muffler through a sleeve i formed thereon, and is adapted to rotatein said sleeve when the trap turns on its axis. A suitable packing isprovided in the sleeve t, whereby the joint is rendered steam-tight.

I do not confine myself to the use of the particular form of mui'ilerherein illustrated and described, nor to the use of any muffler whateverin connection with the automatic vent, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. I mayuse simply a flexible tube leading from the vent to the sewer or anyconvenient receptacle,

I claim- 1. In asteam-trap, a movable chamber having a vent, a valvehaving a stem movable in said vent, a lever fulcrumed at one side of thestem and having one of its arms connected with the stem, said leverbeing formed as a guide, and a weight movable on said lever and adaptedto tilt the same to open and close the valve.

2. A steam-trap comprising in its construction an oscillatory chamberhaving a counterbalancing-Weight and a track and rolling weight forholding the chamber in either of its extremes ot' position, said chamberhaving a vent in its upper portion, a valve having a stem movable insaid vent, a lever fulcrumed at one side of the stem and having one ofits arms connected With the stem, said lever being formed as a guide,and a Weight movable on said lever or guide and adapted to tilt the sameto open and close the valve.

3. An automatic vent attachment for steamtraps, the same comprising acasing adapted for attachment to the Water and steam receiving chamberof the trap, and having a vent-passage, a valve in said casing adaptedto close said passage, and having a stem projecting fromthe casing, alever fulcrumed to a support on the casing and having one arm connectedwith the valve-stem, said lever being formed as a guide, and a rollingweight movable on said lever and adapted to tilt the same, when thechamber is moved from one position to the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 25th day of January, A. D.1897.

BURTON XV. HILL.

lVitnesses:

R. M. PiERsoN, M. B. MAY.

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